Black Musicians v. Local 60-471, American Federation of Musicians

375 F. Supp. 902, 86 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2296, 1974 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8625, 8 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 9612, 7 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 1169
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Pennsylvania
DecidedMay 8, 1974
DocketCiv. A. 71-1008, 72-787
StatusPublished
Cited by22 cases

This text of 375 F. Supp. 902 (Black Musicians v. Local 60-471, American Federation of Musicians) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Black Musicians v. Local 60-471, American Federation of Musicians, 375 F. Supp. 902, 86 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2296, 1974 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8625, 8 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 9612, 7 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 1169 (W.D. Pa. 1974).

Opinion

OPINION and ORDER

McCUNE, District Judge.

We have before us motions to dismiss 1 two civil rights actions alleging race discrimination which have been brought under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq. (“Title VII”); 42 U.S.C. § 1981 ; 2 and various sections of the National Labor Relations Act and Labor Management Relations Act.

The first action, C.A. 71-1008, was brought by Black Musicians of Pittsburgh 3 and six named individuals who are also members of the defendant union — Local 60-471, American Federation of Musicians and American Federation of Musicians, AFL-CIO.

The second suit, C.A. 72-787, was brought by the same plaintiffs against six persons alleged to be Pittsburgh bandleaders who employ musicians. 4

Both suits allege that the defendants maintain or participate in racially discriminatory hiring or referral policies. The suit against the union alleges, in addition, that the union discriminates against Blacks because of its refusal to extend a 5 year agreement under which the formerly all Black and formerly White locals were merged. The agreement, which has expired according to its terms, assured the Black members a certain number of union leadership positions.

I

TITLE VII ACTIONS

A. Procedural Background

The procedural background of this litigation is somewhat complex, but it must be set out in detail because procedural irregularities lie at the heart of the defendants’ motions to dismiss.

*905 The plaintiffs filed their suit against the union on October 21, 1971. The complaint alleges that the Black union members are racially discriminated against in holding positions of union leadership and in union job referral practices. It alleges claims under Title VII, The National Labor Relations Act, Labor Management Relations Act, and 42 U.S.C. § 1981. At the time the suit was filed the plaintiffs had filed no charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”).

On December 13, 1971, George Childress, on behalf of Black Musicians of Pittsburgh, filed a charge with the EEOC against Local 60-471. The charge alleged racial discrimination regarding positions of union leadership and union job referral policies. 5 The EEOC designated the case as number TPI-1134.

On January 10, 1972, the charge was deferred to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (“PHRC”) as required by § 706(b) of Title VII. 6 The PHRC acceded to the EEOC’s request, according to the EEOC letter to Childress (see footnote 6), terminated its proceeding, and returned the charge to the jurisdiction of the EEOC. The letter to Childress was written in reference to case number TPI-0333.

On March 29, 1972, Childress and the Pittsburgh Black Musicians filed another charge with the EEOC. In response to the question on the form complaint

“Who discriminated against you? appears the answer “See attached list.” The attached list is captioned “Amended Charge of Discrimination” and lists bandleaders Schaefer, Pasquarelli, Lomakin, Simms, Marone, and Purcell as well as Local 60-471 and the international union. The question “Have you filed this charge with a state or local government agency?” was unanswered. The substance of the charge concerns alleged discriminatory hiring and payment practices of the charged parties. 7 The charge was given the case file number TPI-2-0333.

On September 7, 1972, the EEOC issued a right to sue letter on case number TPI-2-0333.

On September 18, 1972, the EEOC wrote to the union’s attorney setting a conciliation meeting for September 22. The letter was in reference to case number TPI-2-0333, and referred to “an amended charge which involved additional parties in the action. . . . ”

On September 22, 1972, the plaintiffs filed a complaint in this court against the six bandleaders (C.A. 72-787). The international union and Local 60-471 were not named as defendants. The complaint alleged that the defendants racially discriminated against the plaintiffs in their hiring policies.

On January 16, 1973, the EEOC issued a decision in case YPI 3-020 naming Childress and Black Musicians of Pittsburgh as the charging parties and *906 as respondents the international union, Local 60-471, and six bandleaders (Schaefer, Pasquarelli, Lomakin, Simms, Marone and Purcell). It discussed alleged discrimination in hiring, job referrals and union leadership. The EEOC’s decision concluded that there was reasonable cause to believe all the respondents were engaged in unlawful employment practices in violation of Title VII.

We must first deal with the apparent inconsistencies in the case numbers which the EEOC has attached to this case during its various administrative stages.

The initial charge filed with the EEOC was designated as TPI-1134. In February, 1972, in a letter to Childress, the EEOC referred to the charge as TPI-0333. When the second charge was filed in March, 1972, it was designated TPI-2-0333. The right to sue letter referred to case TPI-2-0333. And the reasonable cause decision of January, 1973, referred to case number YPI 3-020.

While there is probably a rational explanation for this apparently random assignment of numbers, it does not appear of record. The facts indicate, however, that these differing numbers all identify the same case: There is an internal consistency in the letters between the EEOC and the litigants; the second charge was labeled “amended charge”; and the reasonable cause decision (albeit by another number) considered issues raised in both charges. These facts lead to the conclusion that the EEOC treated both charges as one. It follows, then, that the right to sue letter applied to both of the charges filed by Childress, and authorized suit against the local and international union as well as the six bandleaders.

B. Union’s Motion to Dismiss the Title VII Count in 71-1008

The union has moved to dismiss the Title VII count (Count I) in the complaint against it because the plaintiffs failed to file suit against it within 90 days after the issuance of the right to sue letter as required by the statute.

The union’s position may be technically correct. We cannot close our eyes to the realities of the litigation, however.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Puchert v. Agsalud
677 P.2d 449 (Hawaii Supreme Court, 1984)
Allen v. Seattle Police Officers' Guild
670 P.2d 246 (Washington Supreme Court, 1983)
Allen v. Seattle Police Officers' Guild
645 P.2d 1113 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1982)
Nash v. City of Oakwood, Ohio
541 F. Supp. 220 (S.D. Ohio, 1982)
Skomorucha v. Wilmington Housing Authority
504 F. Supp. 831 (D. Delaware, 1980)
Huggler v. Elkins Stroud Suplee & Co.
505 F. Supp. 9 (E.D. Pennsylvania, 1980)
Vanguard Justice Society, Inc. v. Hughes
471 F. Supp. 670 (D. Maryland, 1979)
Williams v. Southern Bell Telephone & Telegraph Co.
464 F. Supp. 367 (S.D. Florida, 1979)
Stewart v. City of Pontotoc, Miss.
461 F. Supp. 767 (N.D. Mississippi, 1978)
Susan Rae Baker v. Stuart Broadcasting Company
560 F.2d 389 (Eighth Circuit, 1977)
Flesch v. Eastern Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute
434 F. Supp. 963 (E.D. Pennsylvania, 1977)
Dixon v. Universal Atlas Cement Division
437 F. Supp. 1071 (W.D. Pennsylvania, 1977)
Spirt v. Teachers Insurance & Annuity Ass'n of America
416 F. Supp. 1019 (S.D. New York, 1976)
Budreck v. Crocker National Bank
407 F. Supp. 635 (N.D. California, 1976)
Berg v. Richmond Unified School District
528 F.2d 1208 (Ninth Circuit, 1975)
Bulls v. Holmes
403 F. Supp. 475 (E.D. Virginia, 1975)
Wilson v. Sharon Steel Corporation
399 F. Supp. 403 (W.D. Pennsylvania, 1975)
Doman v. SKF Industries, Inc.
399 F. Supp. 716 (E.D. Pennsylvania, 1975)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
375 F. Supp. 902, 86 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2296, 1974 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8625, 8 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 9612, 7 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 1169, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/black-musicians-v-local-60-471-american-federation-of-musicians-pawd-1974.